To expect a cotton duvet cover to outlive a plastic bag?

[Zoolatry]

I bought a Christmas duvet cover for DS maybe 10 years ago from a reputable department store. It’s been used only at Christmas, washed max 20 times and stored in the airing cupboard with other similar items.

This year on washing, it literally fell apart.

I have a reusable carrier bag from the supermarket division of the same company. It is dated 2007 and is completely intact and has been used at Christmas each year.

AIBU to expect a cotton duvet cover to remain usable longer than a plastic carrier bag?!

No, bags are for LIFE.

Duvets aren't for life.

How expensive was the duvet cover? If it was costly I would definitely expect more than 20 washes from it.

That said it's not surprising the plastic bag has outlasted it given that plastic doesn't break down and is notorious for lasting forever!

Novelty duvet givers are usually made of very thin fabric. 20 washes, 20 weeks wear and tear is not too bad I suppose. You can’t reaaly compare load -bearing canvas with decorative cotton.

Sorry, but canvas, thick plastic.

I can’t remember, but it wasn’t cheap! Bedlinen at that shop isn’t cheap. The bag cost 10p (for LIFE!) and not one of its seams has given way, nor has the bag got holes. The duvet cover has both.

How many times have you washed the plastic bag?

This is why plastic is used so widely. Because it is durable and multifunctional, etc. It also doesn't break down for a long time. This is why our oceans are full of plastic.
Cheap novelty cotton is a natural material which does break down

Plastic vs Cotton.

Of course plastic is going to last longer (and ruin seas and land because it never goes away) than a natural fabric.

If it's essentially been in storage for a decade I'd be assuming it got chewed on by some bug. Moth and silverfish damage isn't always obvious until you wash things and all the little holes start to tear and split.

No, bags are for LIFE.

Plastics bags are not for life. I have had carrier bags disintegrate into thousands of small pieces after a few years. The bits probably last years though.

Bags for life means the supermarket will replace it for you when it starts to get too worn.

Kmc1111 No bugs here - all the other bedlinen in the airing cupboard is fine. This duvet cover ‘perished’ as if it were plastic.

yabu
as pp said plastic is pretty indestructable.
if the covers are 100% cotton you can still use it in the garden as cover against weeds.

Brownelephant. Compost only - its lost its structural integrity.

I think what everyone is trying to say is your next duvet cover should be made of plastic bags for ultimate durability. Get crafty with some permanent markers and just draw your own Christmas themed designs on it. 🌲😃🎅

Leigha3. Brilliant!!